1981.04.25
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SECURITY
MEASURES OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA FOR THE CONTROL OF FIREARMS
(Approved by the State Council on January 5, 1981, and promulgated
by the Ministry of Public Security on April 25, 1981)
@@ Article 1. These Measures are formulated to maintain public
order, to safeguard public security, and to prevent criminals from
using firearms to commit sabotage.
@@ Article 2. The term firearms (including the ammunition used with
these firearms), as mentioned in these Measures, refers to the
following firearms which belong to the non-military system: pistols,
rifles, and submachine guns and machine guns for military use;
various firearms for target shooting sports; rifles, shotgun, and
powder-gun for hunting; injection-gun for applying anaesthesia on
animals; and air-guns for discharging pellets.
The military firearms used for fitting out the People's Liberation
Army, the militia and the People's Armed Police Force shall be
controlled in accordance with the pertinent provisions of the army and
militia system.
CARRYING AND ALLOCATION OF FIREARMS
@@ Article 3. The following personnel may carry firearms:
(1) Personnel working in the people's courts, the people's
procuratorates, and the public security organs who are required
to carry firearms for discharging their duties;
(2) Party and government leading cadres working in the border
areas, coastal defence areas, and other remote areas who have the
necessity, as deemed by the people's governments of the provinces and
autonomous regions to carry firearms;
(3) Confidential couriers working in the Party and government
departments at or above the provincial level, and confidential
messengers working in the county or municipal Party and
government departments in the border areas or in post and
telecommunications departments who have the necessity to carry firearms;
(4) Personnel working in the Customs who are required to carry
firearms to discharge their duties;
(5) Guards and transport escorts working in war industries.
@@ Article 4. Firearms for official use may be allocated to the
following units:
(1) The security sections of factories and mines, enterprises,
government departments, schools and universities, research
institutions, that have the necessity to be fitted out with firearms;
(2) Important financial and banking units and important warehouses,
radio stations, and research institutions which are located in
remote areas without armed guards, that have the necessity to
be fitted out with firearms;
(3) Geological prospecting teams and survey and drawing teams that
work in remote areas or at sea, that have the necessity to be
fitted out with firearms;
(4) Coastal and ocean-going passenger-liners, freighters and oil
tankers and other operation vessels operating on the sea;
(5) Civil airports and civil air-liners that have the necessity
to be fitted out with firearms.
@@ Article 5. Sports guns may be allocated to sports committees
at or above the county level that promote target-shooting sports.
@@ Article 6. Personnel and units engaged in hunting as their
specialized line of production may carry or be allocated with
hunting rifles. As regards the non-professional hunting personnel,
only citizens aged eighteen or over may keep hunting rifles, and each
can keep no more than two hunting rifles.
@@ Article 7. Injection-guns may be allocated to such units as
hunting production units, scientific research and teaching units,
wild animal breeding and livestock farms, and veterinary
hospitals that have the necessity to apply anaesthesia on animals.
@@ Article 8. Film studios, in order to meet the needs of film
production, may purchase old and obsolete firearms as stage
properties. With the exception of just a small number of firearms
used for creating special stage effects, all firearms must undergo
technical treatment so that they can no longer be used for discharging
live ammunition.
MANUFACTURE AND PURCHASE OF FIREARMS
@@ Article 9. Various kinds of firearms shall be manufactured and
repaired by factories designated by the State only; on units and
individuals may manufacture, repair or assemble firearms without
authorization.
@@ Article 10. For the purchase of military firearms, the purchasing
units shall submit to the local public security organs a report
listing such details as the categories of firearms to be purchased
their quantities, uses, and scope of carrying and allocation. After
obtaining the approval, they shall apply to the department
designated by the State for approp